The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

Play trailer

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

R

1974

1h 44m

Mystery & Thriller

Action

Crime

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

44 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

In New York City, a criminal gang led by the ruthless Mr. Blue (Robert Shaw) hijacks a subway car and threatens to start shooting one passenger per minute unless they receive a million dollars in cash from the city within an hour. On the other end of the line, crusty veteran transit policeman Zachary Garber (Walter Matthau) has his hands full dealing with the mayor's office and his hotheaded fellow cops, while also trying to deliver the ransom before the deadline expires.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Breezy, thrilling, and quite funny, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three sees Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw pitted against each other in effortlessly high form.

Read Critics Reviews

Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

Sep 21, 2023

The movie must have been an editor's nightmare: the scenes are thudders, and the whole thing was punched together -- with no glue but the basic idea.

Go to Full Review

Jerry Renshaw

Austin Chronicle

Mar 7, 2021

Stiller is terrific as a transit authority police lieutenant, as is Matthau as the rather sour cop who has to outsmart the bad guys.

Go to Full Review

John H. Dorr

The Hollywood Reporter

Oct 3, 2018

The large, well-characterized cast is ably headed by Walter Matthau, whose wonderfully weary sense of irony is perfect.

Go to Full Review

Justin LaLiberty

Screen Slate

Aug 26, 2026

Its no-holds-barred approach toward capturing the city in a state of economic turmoil and disrepair anticipates how other filmmakers would document its streets through the decade.

Go to Full Review

Don Shanahan

Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast

Sep 26, 2023

This movie walked... err... rolled so "Die Hard" could run a decade and a half later.

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Feb 15, 2023

4/4

Filled with distinctive characters and crackling dialogue -- and always with another surprise up its sleeve.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Max M

@Househuntermax 4 days ago

Tense, gritty, everything you want in a 70s crime movie. Must see.

See more

Mate P

@matepolcz Oct 27, 2026

The Taking of Pelham One two Three is funny. Not like Superbad, or other movies like that, but it has its hilarious moments. The dialogue is always funny, but rarely laugh-out-loud. Obviously there's also drama and stakes, so everything can't be funny. The story feels unique even though I've seen many hostage-heist stories. The directing is clear, while it keeps the audience guessing. The performances are spectacular. The ending is fantastic, one of the best I've ever seen.

See more

gungi T

@WhatWhere Oct 5, 2026

Pelham is quick and moves fast, grounding itself in witty interrogation and decision-making. The vast network of train lines under the city captures the immediacy of the conflict, meaning that the men who take the train captive and the law enforcers engage in a tense, turn-based game to outmanoeuvre their respective adversaries by anticipating the variable outcomes of the many twists and turns of the underground railway. Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw's chess game to outdo each other and checkmate the options that correlate to the railway system's available endpoints provides an entertaining train movie.

See more

Chad M.

@TheChiefCigar May 5, 2026

I love finding classics I should have seen before now and finally biting the bullet. This did NOT disappoint. Robert Shaw is a looming villain and Matthau serves as a witty protagonist, with help along the way from the entire cast. Funny, engaging, tense at times, and just a well made film.

See more

Jason H

@RT50328122 Apr 24, 2026

One of my favorite movies from the '70s.

See more

Nathan Y.

@NathanYatesDouglass Apr 4, 2026

Somehow funny and off-beat while serious. Akin to Die Hard in ways. Dips a little heavily into NYC stereotypes but that kind of works somehow. A fun ride. Walter Matthau just at peak charisma in this.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Joseph Sargent

Director

Walter Matthau

Lt. Zachary Garber

Robert Shaw

Blue

Martin Balsam

Green

Héctor Elizondo

Grey

Earl Hindman

Brown

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - I'm Taking Your Train

2:04

Now Playing

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Gesundheit!

2:08

Now Playing

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Rolling in Dough

2:00

Now Playing

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - The Mayor and His Wife

2:21

Now Playing

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - The Money Has Arrived

2:35

Now Playing

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Meeting the Demands

2:06

Now Playing

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - You're a Sick Man, Rico

1:22

Now Playing

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Mr. Blue Electrocutes Himself

2:03

Now Playing

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Trying to Negotiate

1:44

Now Playing

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three: Official Clip - Runaway Train

1:24

Now Playing

View more videos

Magnum Force

67%

78%

Magnum Force

Watchlist

Dirty Harry

90%

90%

Dirty Harry

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Dirty Harry

The Enforcer

32%

49%

The Enforcer

Watchlist

Death Wish 3

15%

53%

Death Wish 3

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Death Wish 3

Death Wish II

40%

44%

Death Wish II

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Five Favorite Films with Patton Oswalt

Gandolfini Joins Pelham One Two Three Remake

Tony Scott Directing Don Aronow Biopic

View more photos

Synopsis

In New York City, a criminal gang led by the ruthless Mr. Blue (Robert Shaw) hijacks a subway car and threatens to start shooting one passenger per minute unless they receive a million dollars in cash from the city within an hour. On the other end of the line, crusty veteran transit policeman Zachary Garber (Walter Matthau) has his hands full dealing with the mayor's office and his hotheaded fellow cops, while also trying to deliver the ransom before the deadline expires.

Director: Joseph Sargent
Producer: Gabriel Katzka, Edgar J. Scherick
Screenwriter: John Godey, Peter Stone
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Action, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 2, 1974, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 6, 2010
Runtime: 1h 44m

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings